Town East Mall set for face lift

[noelamador]

looks like Town East Mall is getting ready to take on Garland's new Firewheel Town Center. I wonder if Collin Creek is next.


Town East set for face lift
Omniplan to give big mall a 'Texas Nouveau' look


Mesquite's landmark, 33-year-old Town East Mall is about to receive its first floor-to-ceiling renovation since 1986. As part of the estimated $20 million face lift, the mall's signature, 150-foot-tall structural element -- or "Lantern" -- is set to receive additional lighting that will have it functioning as a beacon. Scheduled to begin in March, the revamp will give the mall a Texas- or Hill Country-style exterior and a number of interior upgrades, from new flooring to soft-seating lounge areas.

"We think shoppers will love the renovation when it's completed," said Jim Foster, the mall's ge Town East also recently announced that San Antonio-based Cyber Town Pizza, a 9,000-square-foot entertainment restaurant venue, will open next March. The mall's anchor tenants are Dillard's, Foley's, J.C. Penney and Sears.

Above-average sales

While surrounding retail competition is heated -- the mall competes with other enclosed malls like the Galleria Dallas and Valley View Center, as well as nearby big-box retailers -- Town East has been able to hold its own, Foster said. Though sales per square foot rates dropped from just below $400 in 2001 to about $370 to $380 in the last few years, sales have increased since May with the exception of July, Foster said. Such sales would put Town East above the industry average, which was at $345 in sales per square foot in 2003, according to research by the International Council of Shopping Centers.

Foster said the mall's location -- off LBJ Freeway, close to Interstate 30 and U.S. Highway 80 -- has been an advantage. About 18 million shoppers visit Town East annually, General Growth says. "Over 70% of (Town East) shoppers come from outside the immediate trade area," said Amy Mellett, the mall's marketing director. "Depending on the time of year, the mall attracts people from Louisiana and Arkansas. Shoppers from East Texas such as Forney, Kaufman and Tyler view Town East as their hometown shopping mall."

Most of the renovation work will occur at night to keep shoppers and retailers undisturbed, Foster said, adding that he doesn't expect construction to dampen sales. "Historically, if it's done well, it actually increases sales," he said. "The Galleria ... was up by double digits during (its) construction." General Growth manages Dallas' Galleria, which was scheduled to unveil its new face Nov. 11 following a 15-month renovation project.

[noelamador]

oops! GC, Tam you might want to move this to the Development board. sorry

[psukhu]

Dallas Business Journal - November 15, 2004
http://dallas.bizjournals.com/dallas/stories/2004/11/15/story2.html

EXCLUSIVE REPORTS
From the November 12, 2004 print edition
Town East set for face lift
Omniplan to give big mall a 'Texas Nouveau' look
Sandra Zaragoza
Staff Writer

Mesquite's landmark, 33-year-old Town East Mall is about to receive its first floor-to-ceiling renovation since 1986.

As part of the estimated $20 million face lift, the mall's signature, 150-foot-tall structural element -- or "Lantern" -- is set to receive additional lighting that will have it functioning as a beacon.

Scheduled to begin in March, the revamp will give the mall a Texas- or Hill Country-style exterior and a number of interior upgrades, from new flooring to soft-seating lounge areas.

"We think shoppers will love the renovation when it's completed," said Jim Foster, the mall's general manager.

Spurring the redo more than anything is the mall's age, Foster explains.

"What we wanted to do was solidify our position in the community as far as continuing to establish the mall as the place to shop," he said.

Chicago-based mall developer General Growth Properties Inc. (NYSE: GGP), which previously held 50% ownership of Town East Mall, in March acquired the remaining 50% from the Grosvenor Americas Sponsored Partnership, the U.S. arm of a London property development and investment group.

In North Texas, General Growth also has ownership or management stakes in Galleria Dallas, Stonebriar Centre in Frisco, Vista Ridge Mall in Lewisville and The Parks at Arlington.

When Town East Mall opened in 1971, it was one of the first big enclosed malls in the Metroplex.

It received its first major overhaul in 1986 and has had several minor renovations since -- one in 1996 and one in 2000. It also recently added a "soft play" area for children.

Major shopping malls typically are renovated every seven to 10 years, according to Patrice Duker, a spokeswoman for the International Council of Shopping Centers.

Dallas-based architects Omniplan Inc., which designed the mall in 1970, has been tapped to create the new look. Omniplan also led design of Town East's $2 million food-court renovation a few years ago.

"This is not a mall you would find in California or New Jersey," said Keith Maple, a senior associate with Omniplan. "This will be exactly what you would expect to see in North Texas."

Renovation costs haven't been finalized, but sources close to the developer peg them at a minimum of $20 million.

Mesquite's geographical location -- its proximity to Lake Ray Hubbard, downtown Dallas and suburbia -- serves as inspiration for the mall's new look.

The three legs in the triangular-shaped, redone Town East Mall will be called CitySide, LakeSide and ParkSide.

Interior landscape accents, colors and materials will reflect each distinct personality. Those themes also will help differentiate various parking lots for time-crunched shoppers, Foster said.

Town East's interior renovation will include new handrails, Italian porcelain flooring, lounges, lighting fixtures, restrooms, elevators and signage. The mall's exterior will don a new "Texas Nouveau" look created from stone, cedar and timber-like materials.

Additionally, a new covered transportation drop-off area will be added to provide shoppers protection from harsh weather. There also will be a "slight" expansion to accommodate new retailers, Foster said.

The mall will begin selecting contractors and builders this December, and the renovations will be completed in time for the 2005 holiday season, Foster said.

Town East currently has 230 retailers and about 1.3 million square feet of gross leasable area, making it the eighth-largest shopping center and mall in North Texas, according to a 2004 ranking by the Dallas Business Journal.

The mall's occupancy rate is just over 90%. "We've added a dozen of what we call triple A, or "sparkly," retailers in the last few years, and we think this renovation is really going to solidify us in the marketplace as the leader on the east and northeast sides," Foster said.

While the mall has lost some tenants including Luby's restaurant, Town East has been able to snag high-caliber retailers Sharper Image, Hollister Co., Abercrombie & Fitch Co., Picture People and Origins. All are generating strong sales, Foster said.

Town East also recently announced that San Antonio-based Cyber Town Pizza, a 9,000-square-foot entertainment restaurant venue, will open next March.

The mall's anchor tenants are Dillard's, Foley's, J.C. Penney and Sears.
Above-average sales

While surrounding retail competition is heated -- the mall competes with other enclosed malls like the Galleria Dallas and Valley View Center, as well as nearby big-box retailers -- Town East has been able to hold its own, Foster said.

Though sales per square foot rates dropped from just below $400 in 2001 to about $370 to $380 in the last few years, sales have increased since May with the exception of July, Foster said.

Such sales would put Town East above the industry average, which was at $345 in sales per square foot in 2003, according to research by the International Council of Shopping Centers.

Foster said the mall's location -- off LBJ Freeway, close to Interstate 30 and U.S. Highway 80 -- has been an advantage. About 18 million shoppers visit Town East annually, General Growth says.

"Over 70% of (Town East) shoppers come from outside the immediate trade area," said Amy Mellett, the mall's marketing director. "Depending on the time of year, the mall attracts people from Louisiana and Arkansas. Shoppers from East Texas such as Forney, Kaufman and Tyler view Town East as their hometown shopping mall."

Most of the renovation work will occur at night to keep shoppers and retailers undisturbed, Foster said, adding that he doesn't expect construction to dampen sales.

"Historically, if it's done well, it actually increases sales," he said. "The Galleria ... was up by double digits during (its) construction."

General Growth manages Dallas' Galleria, which was scheduled to unveil its new face Nov. 11 following a 15-month renovation project.

szaragoza@bizjournals.com


© 2004 American City Business Journals Inc.

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All contents of this site © American City Business Journals Inc. All rights reserved.

[tamtagon]

"Over 70% of (Town East) shoppers come from outside the immediate trade area," said Amy Mellett, the mall's marketing director. "Depending on the time of year, the mall attracts people from Louisiana and Arkansas. Shoppers from East Texas such as Forney, Kaufman and Tyler view Town East as their hometown shopping mall."



That's interesting.

[freewaytincan]

It most certainly is. That's rather impressive, that it pulls in such a demographic.

[noelamador]

I've already started a thread for this. GC, Tam you might want to merge the two

[RobertB]

"Over 70% of (Town East) shoppers come from outside the immediate trade area," said Amy Mellett, the mall's marketing director. "Depending on the time of year, the mall attracts people from Louisiana and Arkansas. Shoppers from East Texas such as Forney, Kaufman and Tyler view Town East as their hometown shopping mall."

That's interesting.
Yeah, especially since Tyler already *has* a mall!

Simon Malls - Broadway Square Mall
http://www.simon.com/mall/default.aspx?ID=212

As for Kaufman... well, I guess I have to give them that. We don't have a mall... nor a McDonald's, nor a Wal-Mart, and I *like* it that way.

[rantanamo]

Having a lot of relatives in east Texas, I can attest that they make their big shopping trips to Town East.

[Cole]

Having a lot of relatives in east Texas, I can attest that they make their big shopping trips to Town East.

Growing up in Ennis, our mall we always went to was Town East.

[freewaytincan]

Having a lot of relatives in east Texas, I can attest that they make their big shopping trips to Town East.

That's so crazy; I had no idea!

[LDSR]

I miss the pre-1986 Town East... before the food court center area was added. It was like Shoots and Ladders! ;-)

[freewaytincan]

I miss the pre-1986 Town East... before the food court center area was added. It was like Shoots and Ladders! ;-)

From the pictures I've seen, it looks like the sets in "Star Trek The Motion Picture".

[noelamador]

Mesquite mall will show off its new look next week
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/DN-retailnotes_11bus.ART.State.Edition2.e1bde2a.html
12:00 AM CST on Friday, November 11, 2005
By MARIA HALKIAS / The Dallas Morning News

One of the clichés of retailing is that merchants see rivals and say something like: "Competition is good, and it makes us better."

But just because it's a cliché doesn't mean that it's not true. Scarcely a month after a new open-air center opened in neighboring Garland, Town East Mall in Mesquite will unveil its own multimillion-dollar renovation. The formal debut is Thursday.

Outside, the north entrance has a porte-cochere, and the mall's central tower ? already a local landmark ? has new lighting that gives it a lighthouse appearance.

Inside, the mall has created three distinct shopping areas with new signs, color, flooring and graphics to make it easier to navigate.

Soft seating areas have been added.

And the mall has a new 4,000-square-foot family restroom, something usually lacking in malls built in the 1970s.

Town East announced that the renovation was coming a couple of years ago when a new mall was announced in nearby Garland. The open-air Firewheel Town Center opened last month.

[Columbus Civil]

4,000 square feet? That seems unusually large for a restroom. That's bigger than most houses.

[effulgent]

When I went to high school in Greenville and college in Commerce, our big mall adventures were in Town East. The Greenville Mall only had a JC Penney's and a Bell's, I think, and a Lane Bryant, so if anyone wanted to go clothes shopping, they had to go to the "big city."

[Mballar]

A lot of people like to shop in Mesquite b/c the sales tax is lower than most other cities in the metro.

[BigD5349]

Man, I remember those days, too. When I was a kid, we'd go to Farrell's for ice cream parties, and then romp around in that center section of the mall. That was a big deal back then!


I miss the pre-1986 Town East... before the food court center area was added. It was like Shoots and Ladders! ;-)